COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12665, 19 January 1912, Page 5

COOK COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Cook County Council was held to-day. There Were present : Crs H. Tven way (chairman),. it. Sherratt, R. G. Reynolds, T. Holden, J. C: Parker, G. Witters, G. Jones, p. Williams^ T. Jex-Blake and F. J. Lysnar. . ' . ; v ; Messrs Crosswell and Co.,^contractors for Willows Settlement. \ros,d, wrote intimating • thst> they -were . unable, .'to obtain grivel from Kaitaratahi on account of all trucks being" engaged! — The Engineer said there >was another contractor in tlie same- position. The position was they could riot get room for tracks on the siding. It was agreed to leave the matter to the Engineer and to request the Railway Department to extend the sidihg. Mr D. Dinan and 21 other ratepayers and residents on the Mission estate and Mak&uri, petitioned the Council respecting the College road drain made by special rate in 1894. They asserted that <t!pe drain, which was the only means of draining the Waerenga-a-hika township eastwards towards the Taruheru river, had received no attention for 17 years, and at present required, putting, into order J^Cr Witters said the ratepayers were paying a special rate" on this drain T^hich was now in very bad order through being overrun by cattle.; — It was agreed to request the Engineer to inspect and report on the drain. — Cr Williams suggested that under the Draining Act those directly beriefitting could bemade to contribute>c-The., Chairman: They could consider the Drainage 1 Act on receiving the Engineer's report. Mr J. Kain, hon. sec. Ngatapa Farmers' . Association, "wrote protesting on behalf of the Association agiinst the payment of rates for interest on a loan raised by private persons for road making and pointing, out that no such loan or rate was mentioned in the agreement when the sections were taken over by the settlers.;— The Clerk said that a^lban of £2800 was raised by Messrs Williamson Bros, to make the* Ngatapa and Totang^ roads and the land was pledged as secure ity . for the interest. He was therefore collecting the money from the settlers in fractions. He had been told the settlers would not pay the rate. — The Chairman pointed out that the land was responsible for. the rates and it was agreed to advise the Association to this effect, pointing out the complaint apparently was with th» Government. • -" The- Public Trustee wrote offering to accept £40 (without prejudice) in settlement. oi his claim re Robert Newnham, deceased,* provided he was not made liable ror any fencing expenses.-— The CferK stated the land was taken for drainage purposes, the Council having offered £30.— -Cr Witters moved that the offer 'jbe not accepted until the whole matter in respect of this . drain was settled. They were likely to have other claims and it was going to cost about £300 'and he did -- not know how the riding was going to pay for it. — The Chairman moved that the offer be accept-ed.—-pr Witters moved "that the Engineer be asked to report whether they could do "sith half the width of ' the area taken] arid that the Hon. Capt. Tucker and the agent for the Public Trustee be asked to attend next meeting. — Cr Holden seconded the amendment. — Cr Lysnar moved a further amendment that the Couiicil adhere to its former decision of contributing £30. The latter amendment was Carried by 8 to 2. Ttj's Advances Department telegraphed advising that £1200 loan, as the Council's share of the Hospital loan, had been finally approved. — The Chairman ahd Cr.,Sherratt were authorised to sign the debentures. It )vas decided to warn certain contractors that the penalty ■> clause would be enforced as the engineer reported the same 1 were unsatisfactory owing to the delay' occurring. It , was decided to make representations to the Public Works Department in cphsequence of the delay respecting the expenditure of the £3000 upon the Waikaremoana road. At the instance of Cr. Jones it was agreed to instruct the Engineer to inspect the erosion, that .was taking place along the river at.' McMillan's, road,. Ormond. Several tenders were received for Tokariui road, and that of Mr T. Lynn was- accepted. ; The Hon. R; McKenzie, Minister of Public WcSrks, acknowledged receipt of the Council's request for. ,a subsidy for the Pouavte bridge. — -"Received; Mr A. Parsons, county ranger, report-,, ed that 89' head of horses and cattle had been impounded off county roads for- the past month. The County^Engineer, Mr deG. Frasjer; submitted his monthly report, which is published in another, column. '„* The statement^ of v ..accounts waso&s follows: Overdraft jbecember 'ifo, £11,630 lls . ?d ; receipts,; rates £&$4 10» 2d;; deposits, £29; . interest . f|Jom Borough' Council; £&3 15s sdjf Government grant, £401 ; '-publican's license, £18 15s; transfer fee Muriwaj hotel,' £2"; billjard--r.oom } license, ; £5.; surplus pound fees Tofaga pqtand, £4 4s;*»WaU kohu Cqpu}cil, second instalment, £IQO6— \ £6588 4s 7d; required to-day, '£2oß7" lbs 9d ; required Ist February (interest),' £1399.0s 9d— £3486 17s 6d ; overdraft February 1, £8529 4s '6d ; advances, £1099 12s. , Petitions were received' respecting the raising of loans for Kaiaua road, north of Tolaga Bay; Muriwai (£3000), to secure present and future grants for £1 for £1; Arai Valley road (£2000), to secure grant of £1 for £1; Mangiapoike bridge loan (£400), to secure grant of £275. -Authority was given to raise a loan of £1500 for Maraetaha bridge, to secure £1 for £1 grant, and resolutions were passed' te Riverside road 'loan (additional 10 per cent.) and Tolaga loan, £5100> .... .